A religious identity coded as non-white could legally bar naturalization.

Evidence

Although Muslim Americans are bona fide citizens, their religious identity induces scrutiny of their citizenship status, patriotism, and belonging. This scrutiny is strongest after national crises, and specifically in the direct aftermath of a terror attack committed by a Muslim culprit. As constitutional law scholar Kenneth Karst writes, “In times of trouble … fears tend to focus on particular groups of cultural outsiders as a source of danger.” This is particularly true for Muslim Americans, whose religious affiliation can negate any legal or material claim to Americanness and hold them out to be threatening interlopers. — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 340 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The FLN’s new society defined nationality by residence, not ethnicity or religion; Religious minorities become politically suspect when religion ties to national identity; Whiteness by law was defined as Christian, excluding Muslims from citizenship — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 150 (+15 more)

Related

• Whiteness by law was defined as Christian, excluding Muslims from citizenship (similarity 0.87)
• Muslim citizenship in America is negated by religious identity after crises (similarity 0.86)
• Removing the hijab is framed as an act befitting American citizenship. (similarity 0.85)
• Islamic identity rendered immigrants non-white in citizenship cases regardless of legal test (similarity 0.85)
• Citizenship in America has historically been tied to whiteness and Christianity (similarity 0.84)
• Religious identity alone distanced Asian Indians from whiteness in naturalization law. (similarity 0.84)
• Islam was not associated with whiteness, blocking Muslim naturalization (similarity 0.83)
• Courts constructed whiteness on shifting criteria including religion. (similarity 0.83)
• Citizenship itself is racialized, protecting some citizens while criminalizing Muslim Americans. (similarity 0.81)
• Citizenship depends on community recognition, not just legal status (similarity 0.81)
• Muslim names alone can racialize phenotypically white people (similarity 0.81)
• Islam functionally disqualified citizenship applicants from whiteness regardless of method (similarity 0.81)
• Religious identity, once racialized, bars citizens from full dignitary benefits (similarity 0.81)
• Muslim Americans appeared only as hypothetical threat in 1789, not as real persons (similarity 0.81)
• Arabs gained whiteness-status in 1943 while Muslims generally remained excluded because Islam signified non-whiteness. (similarity 0.80)

Broader Connections

• Citizenship in America has historically been tied to whiteness and Christianity #expands (0.70)
• Religious identity can be racialized when signifiers trigger profiling #expands (0.60)
• Muslim citizenship in America is negated by religious identity after crises #expands (0.60) — Khaled A. Beydoun, American Islamophobia_ Understanding…, 340
• Lighter skin and Christian identity secured citizenship privileges that darker or Muslim Arabs lacked #corroborates (0.55)
• Muslim religious identity becomes a racial category through surveillance. #expands (0.55)
• Racial profiling extends to religious signifiers like Muslim names and clothing. #expands (0.50) — , Selod, Saher - Forever Suspect_…, 227
• Arabs were classified white for citizenship so they could be distinguished from ineligible Asians #qualifies (0.50)
• Surveillance justified by religious identity constitutes racialization of Muslims #expands (0.50)
• Muslim names alone can racialize phenotypically white people #expands (0.45) — , Selod, Saher - Forever Suspect_…, 91